Beautiful Words
by theunknownwritings
Summary: Walter and Paige keep their work strictly professional. And why shouldn't they? They are solely coworkers, unless subconscious feelings create complications.
1. Chapter 1

I _only_ state facts

And I can say without falter

That I have never been as certain

You put my 197 IQ to shame

Because you amaze me every day

And you teach me

I get to learn what it is to feel

What it is to hold your hand

And I don't think you know the extent

Of your effects on me

Because I can look at you

Gaze into your scintillating eyes

And get lost

And think of nothing

But these beautiful words

"So no, I don't want you to go," Walter said looking down, "because I need you." Paige looked up from the paper with her mouth slightly parted in shock. Walter had written her words of love, even if he didn't realize it. She never knew she could evoke such an emotional response from Walter. This man seemed to be robotic with his expressions. "Walter, I would never leave you." Her eyes were filled with tears.

Walter leaned toward her and inhaled the scent of lavender. He caressed her cheek in his hand and whispered in her ear, "Paige."

"Yes Walter, I'm here."

"Paige."

"Paige?"

She stirred and was wildly confused. She shot up and felt a jolt of realization. She reluctantly opened her eyes and looked to the left of the bed and saw Drew dressing.

"Looks like someone had quite a night" Drew winked. "I'll go drop off Ralph before going to work, I'll see you later." He barely made eye contact with her. His side of the bed was unkept and it faintly smelled musty.

Paige didn't say a word. She shook in angst and cried silently. She felt the bruises starting to form on her arm; Drew was never gentle. He spoke ugly words. She didn't want to see him. She felt frightened though by his demands and intimidation. They weren't even married anymore, not even friends, and he had so much control over her. She felt exposed under his gaze.

She composed herself and slowly got dressed for work. She couldn't feel herself moving as she went through the motions: put one arm in the shirt and then the next, grab coffee, leave. She practically spilled while pouring because all she could think about was Walter and how he would argue that it is more beneficial to drink it black. She smiled to herself as she got into the car and texted Walter that she was on her way.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews and for just reading it to be honest! This episode just gave me so many ideas so I am going to try and incorporate them in somewhere. Please tell me what you think; I really want to write something people crave to read.

**Chapter 2**

"Hey guys," Paige greeted each of the geniuses who were already working on their own things. She placed down the coffee for everyone which seemed to get their attention. They mindlessly walked over. Sylvester was mumbling equations, and Toby had his eyes fixed on Happy, who had oil covering her fingers. Paige stopped them in their tracks. "Eh nope you're not getting coffee unless I can actually tell that you are alive and functioning human beings." She snapped her fingers. They all looked up, nodded, gave a smile, and walked away with their cups. "You all failed!" she shouted. Walter came down last, straightening his tie.

"Paige, did you submit that report last night?" She playfully rolled her eyes.

"So eager aren't we? Yes, it's all set, and good morning to you too." He gave a raise of his eyebrows to show acknowledgement.

"Where's Ralph? I wanted to give him something, a real stumper question for his teacher. Maybe it will make him realize the issue with modern education. I had to narrow it down but I went with: why spend hundreds of tax payer's dollars on European History books if they are all merely based on the opinion of that author?"

"Oh sorry, you missed him, Drew dropped him off at school already. I'm sure you can give him a more appropriate question for tomorrow. There are other important things than just science and math, and math a science." Paige felt her palms sweat as she spoke Drew's name. She was too distracted to realize that Walter's jaw had clenched. He didn't like the way Drew looked at Paige. He looked at her like she was an object. A possession. She was so much more. He was easily able to suppress his sign of emotion however due to years of practice.

"Oh um yea that's ok, I'll give it to him after. Did you get coffee?"

Paige was grateful for the change in topic. "Your welcome," she answered as she handed it to him.

He took a sip and said "Did you know black coffee has more health benefits?" He didn't wait for a response and walked off to his desk.

Yes, Paige thought, yes I did.

Cabe walked in half an hour later with a young man behind him. He looked no older than 18. "Alright team I hope you're ready for a long day. This here is Rory Carter, the son of billionaire Cory Carter."

Toby leaned to Happy, "Is this a case or are we apart of Dr. Seuss's next book?"

Happy smirked but Paige gave them a glare.

Paige stepped in, "Cory Carter, mind you, owns the art museum downtown. I wouldn't mock such a successful man." She turned her attention towards Cabe, "What is the issue?"

Rory spoke up, "One of the paintings was stolen, and this one was worth practically more than the building itself. I suspect it's one of his rivals who have always been jealous. My dad didn't want to ask the police; he didn't want people to get suspicious or doubt his ability."

Walter smirked, "Well it's a good thing we aren't the police. We are Scorpion."

Walter made his way up to his bedroom to continue on the frustrating work of trying to cure Megan. He hit a dead end with every turn. He ran his fingers through his hair then abruptly threw all of the papers off the desk. In his moment of anguish he didn't even realize Paige had knocked and was looking at him with compassionate eyes.

"Walter" she said softy as though she was afraid he was going to lose it again. "You know, I never had real faith in my ability before Scorpion. I was a broke waitress with a son who wouldn't talk to me. Then you came along. These past months have been life changing, because of you. You make this team function. You do unfathomable things."

She took his hands away from the mess he was fumbling with. She took his face in her hands to focus him. She, Walter thought, was a blessing. His mind was always on one thing when she was there.

"I believe Walter, that a man capable of that can kick MS's ass." She gave a small laugh to lighten the mood.

Walter was frozen. Not out of discomfort with her close proximity, but out of shock that he wanted her closer. He moved her hands so they intertwined with his.

"You are what makes us function" he corrected.

He leaned in with the desire to stretch the boundaries of human contact, her lips were so-

"Walter! Wake up, you can have your beauty sleep later. We have more info on the case let's go. We are heading to the museum." Cabe led the others out. Walter didn't argue and changed his focus to the case, but he certainly kept every detail of the dream in the back of his mind. He sighed and followed the team.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The car ride felt like an eternity. The museum was down town and with Happy not driving it made everything feel slower. Walter felt anxious sitting next to Paige. He still hadn't processed that overwhelming amount of emotion. He thought of the possibility that he may want more than just a professional relationship with Paige, but that was just nonsense. He was horrible with relationships and why would Paige love someone who was incapable of returning her affection to a certain level? He was most likely alone with his feelings. He felt defeated and confused. Paige caught his attention.

"So, I guess you weren't just resting your eyes" she teased.

"No" he frowned. "I've been having trouble sleeping. There is an abundance of work to be done." He couldn't tell if Paige knew he was lying. It was the half truth. He was deprived of sleep, and there was a lot of work recently, but there had been other things occupying his mind from sleep. She rubbed his arm with her thumb to try to relax him. She didn't know how her subtleties affected him.

"This is it" Rory said pointing to an exquisite building on the corner of the street. It had arches that reached new heights and marble steps. Paige didn't break eye contact with its features as she exited the van. "Wow" was all she managed to say. Walter wasn't looking at the building though. He thought, she doesn't know how beautiful she is in this moment. They both seemed to be in their own trance when a car sped by and nearly hit the side view mirror. Walter wasn't able to get a good look, but he could tell that it was a frustrated man with poor anger management.

"My god one day people will learn how to drive. Maybe we can get lucky and they will acquire some decency as well. Let's go guys we aren't here for a tour" Cabe instructed.

Rory led them inside, and Walter was confused by what he saw. It was quite obvious when they entered that a painting was stolen. Rory had told them that his dad didn't want to raise suspicion, but even a person who has never gone to this museum could tell that something was off. There was a blank white wall in the middle of the room. "This painting was the most expensive and probably a focal point to the museum. It was strategically placed to be the first thing that meets your eyes as you enter. It tricks you into wanting to see more" Toby explained to the group.

A man who was dressed in a suit and had his hair combed back approached them; the professional demeanor meant that this was Cory Carter. "Rory, where have you been? And who are these people?"

"Dad, they are here to help us. They can figure out who stole the painting." Rory seemed calm despite the fact that his father was supposedly against the idea of help.

"As much as I don't want a commotion, I am running out of options. There are so many competitors in this business that it could be anyone. Sorry, how rude of me, I am Cory Carter." He had a smug smile across his face, as though he thought that they should have already known that.

Paige was the first one to act. "Hello sir," she spoke with enthusiasm as she eagerly shook the man's hand, "it is so great to meet you." She had the biggest smile stuck on her face. Mr. Carter shook her hand and nodded, not wanting to be discourteous.

Walter cut in, "I am Walter O'Brien and this is my team. This is Sylvester, Happy, Toby, and you have already met Paige. I am sure that it's possible to narrow it down; you just need to be educated." Paige gave him a warning look. She had given him that look numerous times so he could tell he was approaching the line of boasting. "So, who is the artist?" he continued. "Da Vinci, it was a rare original, one that many do not know of. " Sylvester was already measuring the dimensions of the wall, Happy was searching other nearby art museums, and Toby was busy analyzing the personality of someone who would admire Da Vinci. All he had to do was look at Paige. Mr. Carter was astonished by the immediate efficiency.

Happy was the first to speak up, "there are three nearby museums that use Da Vinci as their focal point. We could be there in five minutes."

"Based on my calculations this painting was in an 8 by 6 foot frame. It easily could require three men with its weight" Sylvester added.

"Someone who stole a famous painting is not going to have the audacity to hang it in their museum only a few blocks away. The only motive that seems plausible is that they are planning on redistributing and making a huge profit. Take whatever dollar worth you are thinking and multiple it by 10." Toby's light humor did not amuse Paige, "Well, let's stop wasting time and go get it." She didn't wait for them and marched out.

The first museum had been a bust. The person working the front desk did not even speak English. The second museum had looked a little more promising.

"Cabe Gallo, homeland security. We'd like to have a word with the owner." The employee looked startled and hesitated to pick up the phone to notify his boss. He didn't utter a word. Toby noted his movements. A few minutes passed before the boss approached them. "I am James Peterson, is there something I can help you with, maybe somewhere a little more private?" He nervously looked around to see tourists' eyes fixated on the situation. "Come with me and we can talk in my office." The team seemed skeptical, but grateful that he was at least willing to talk. He led them away and kept light conversation. Walter suspected something to be off, but he knew his social observances were not always reliable, so he said nothing. This man screamed guilty though; why would someone sweat so much just to have a conversation? They reached the room and Mr. Peterson opened the door for them. Cabe was last, and he started to walk in, but abruptly turned around and struck James square in the face.

"He's full of crap, let's search this place."

The left the office and went deeper into the hallway. It seemed to get dimmer and eventually near complete darkness. The only light was a sign above the last door reading "Employees only. DO NOT ENTER."

"Is that enough emphasis?" Paige asked rhetorically. Cabe pulled out his gun just in case and they cautiously made their way down the stairs. What they saw was perplexing.

**Thank you for reading and please leave a review


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"What the hell is going on here?" Cabe spat angrily. "Stop what you're doing put your hands up now!"

The culprit removed his hands from the painting, which thankfully still seemed to be in good condition. He raised both hands gradually and turned around with a slick grin on his face. "Well I guess I should have expected this from a group of geniuses" he said apathetically.

"Step away from the painting Carter. Get on your knees." Cabe walked over a cuffed him. He escorted him out the door, while reading him his Miranda rights, to be humiliated by everyone he saw. The group of geniuses shook their heads at the poorly executed plan.

"Wow, we could've stolen a painting better than that, and Sylvester has asthma" Happy rolled her eyes and walked out with Toby and Syl. Walter was just about to follow but Paige grabbed his arm gently to pull him back. He inhaled deeply at her touch.

"So wait I'm still so confused, why on earth would such a successful man like that go through all of that trouble just to come up short and get caught?" Walter tried to explain to her as he flipped off the light, grabbed the painting, and they walked together back up the hallway. "It was a poorly thought out plan to get more money. He probably wasn't as successful as you think. This particular museum must have been extreme competition, and what better way to eliminate that than framing the owner for stealing such an expensive piece? It would've been brilliant if only he had taken in consideration that the group that he had solving the fake crime were geniuses."

Walter could see Paige's disappointment; and even though he didn't believe in the significance of art, he wholeheartedly believed in the importance of Paige. "Um, how about we, um, go see one of your favorite artists sometime, uh I mean if you would like to-" Walter couldn't even finish his thought before his was taken aback by a warm embrace from Paige. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, "I would love that." Walter couldn't comprehend what was going on, and so he was thankful when her phone rang. "Oh, I'm sorry it's Ralph, I'll meet you outside with the others?" Walter only nodded as Paige walked off.

When Walter found the others outside Carter had already been handed off to the police. Rory was going to be taken down to the station as well for questioning. It still didn't make sense to Walter, how calm he was when he was caught red handed. His thought was interrupted by Cabe who motioned toward the painting, "I'll take that off of your hands son." Walter handed it over without question. He was fixated on Paige who had just left the building and caught his eye. She smiled at him, but then turned her attention toward Toby. "So wait, one more question: James looked so suspicious but it turns out he was just being framed?" Walter agreed with Paige's inquiry and was just as curious. "Well he may not have been guilty of theft, but he certainly wasn't innocent. His excessive sweating might be explained by the fact that there were smuggled drugs in the storage room; aka the only reason this guy was making money." Happy rolled her eyes, "The art industry these days. Let's get back to the garage I'm starving."

Toby, Sylvester, and Happy all fought to get into the van first, but Walter waited and let Paige enter first. It was something he saw in a movie once.

Paige went to pick up Ralph while the rest of the team ate lunch. She was excited to tell Ralph about the case; it was one of the only things they connected over. She arrived five minutes early as usual and parked in the second spot. He was always out by 3:35, no later, so she grew very concerned when it was 3:37 and there was no sign of Ralph. She watched kid by kid as they all entered the bus. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Ralph approaching, but with another kid. Paige rolled down her window to greet her son, "Hey Ralph, who is this?" Ralph had never brought another kid over. "This is Henry, he's in my class and I sit next to him, can we drive him home?" Paige's heart melted. Ever since Scorpion Ralph was improving with his interaction with others. This was another break through. She didn't hesitate, "Of course! Henry it is nice to meet you. Now where am I going exactly?" The boys didn't speak in the car, but Paige felt content and hummed to fill the silence.

"We're back," Paige opened the garage door for Ralph and followed. Ralph ran to the geniuses and immediately awaited the next riddle or math problem that was to come. It grew dark eventually, and he was still enraptured in equations. Paige felt torn; she didn't want to move him, but she was exhausted and desperately needed sleep. Walter cut in, "You know if you need to go Ralph is welcomed to stay here. He can sleep in my bed and the fridge is full so you don't need to worry yourself about breakfast." Walter wanted to do this for Paige. He figured he could make a better connection with her if he showed that he cared. Paige hesitated for a second, since she's never left Ralph alone over night, but then realized how much she trusts Walter, more than anyone. "Ok," she agreed, "but I'm going to be back by 7:30."

"There is no rush." Paige smiled, thanked him one last time, and kissed him on the cheek. It sent chills down both of their spines. Her gesture shocked them both. She turned and left and Walter watched until the door closed. He clapped his hands together, "Alright Ralph how would you like to learn about robotics?" The night was filled with experiments, joy, and a tuckered out group of geniuses. Ralph fell asleep on the couch and so Walter scooped him up and gently laid him on his bed. He pushed the boy's hair out of his face and smiled as he turned out the light. Paige however, was still wide awake.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Paige left Ralph at the garage it was raining, more like pouring. It was an awful storm and she had her windshield wipers on high just so that she could see the road. It took her longer than usual to get back to her apartment. When she finally arrived she pulled in the drive way to see another car parked. Drew.

Paige waited in the car for a few minutes just sitting there. She didn't want to go in. He would do this sometimes and just come over unannounced. She knew what was waiting inside. She wondered how long he had been waiting there, but was afraid of the answer because she knew that the longer it was the angrier he got, so she reluctantly opened the door and trudged her way up the stairs. Her feet felt like cement blocks. She fumbled with her keys to find the right one and then slowly opened the door.

"Where have you been all this time?" was the first thing that she heard. Drew slurred his words and smelled of liquor. "I have been waiting for hours!" She tentatively replied, "I was just at the garage with the team. It was a long day. Ralph is staying there for the night." She was glad she left Ralph in the protection of Walter. She wished she would have stayed too. "You know I don't like _him._ Why on earth would you leave our son in the hands of that idiot?" His statement angered Paige. He didn't know the first thing about Walter. He barely knew anything about Ralph. "He is _my _son. I trust Walter." She immediately regretted talking back to Drew. She was just so flustered.

Drew grabbed her by the shoulders and held her with a tight grip. "Don't you speak to me that way!" He shook her and she could feel his finger nails dig into her skin. Her eyes swelled with tears. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it Drew, you are what matters." He rolled his eyes and said, "Don't give me that crap. I hear you every night mumbling his name. It makes me sick. I see how you two look at each other. I saw you at the museum."

Paige was in shock. Had she really been talking about Walter in her sleep? The thought made her happy, but reality brought her back. "The museum? You were the crazy driver who nearly hit us!"

Drew gave a smug look, "Nearly. I wanted to get my point across. Don't make me miss next time."

He stormed off in rage up to the bedroom. Paige fell to the ground and held herself in pain. She could scream, but she knew making noise would be worse. She followed him upstairs so that he wouldn't get suspicious. He was already sleeping by the time she got up there. She slipped off her clothes and put on a long shirt with pants. She wanted to cover as much as she could; she didn't want to see herself. She climbed into bed and faced away from Drew. His arm draped over her as she settled in. She picked up her phone and texted Walter, "Tell Ralph I said goodnight and thank you again." She turned off the lamp and closed her eyes. Just make it until morning, she thought, Walter will be there. She never fell asleep.

Walter got up at 7 so that he would be ready before Paige got there. He checked his phone and saw one text from Paige at 1:20 am. Why had she texted him so late? He figured she just must have not realized the time. He decided to make her and Ralph breakfast; pancakes were their favorite. Ralph came down at around 7:15 and ate his. Walter checked his watch, 7:45. Paige was never late. It was one thing that her and Ralph had in common. It must be morning traffic, Walter thought.

He could tell when she entered, that it was not morning traffic.

Paige looked like a mess. Her hair was flat rather than its normal soft curls. She was still in her nightwear and looked as though she had never gone to sleep. Mascara was smudged under her eyes, but it didn't disguise the bags and the red puffiness on her face. Walter's heart sank.

She may have been distressed, but she greeted Ralph with a peppy voice. "Did you have a nice time Ralph?" She smiled when the boy ran to her and hugged her. Ralph could tell something was off too, and thought the best way to handle it was to not mention it. He excitedly said, "It was the best. Can we do it more often? Maybe you can stay with us?" Paige looked up at Walter for some sort of response and he nodded in approval and said, "Of course, you and your mother," he looked up at Paige and held her gaze, "are always welcome."

Ralph smiled with joy and ran off to find the others. Paige mouthed "thank you" and Walter said "any time."

Walter thought for a moment and then asked, "Are you hungry? I made you pancakes. Well let's just say I tried to make you pancakes. I know that they are your favorite."

The pancakes were slightly burnt on the bottom but Paige still gratefully ate them. No one ever made her a meal.

"Thank you for looking after Ralph. He really loves you guys you know?"

Walter nodded, "And we love him. I care about him," he paused for a moment, "and you."

Paige looked up from her food with tears in her eyes, she couldn't manage to speak, but somehow she didn't need to. Walter understood. He continued, "So I got your text from last night, did you get much sleep?" He was genuinely concerned and would do anything to change how she felt.

Paige stuttered for a moment, "Oh um, whoops I'm sorry I didn't realize it was so late, but don't worry I slept like a baby." She didn't look at him as she spoke, and Walter remembered Toby telling him that that was a signal that someone was lying. Paige never lied to him. He grew restless with concern.

Paige rolled up her sleeves so that they wouldn't drag in the syrup. She didn't consciously think about what she was doing.

Immediately Walter grabbed her arms and observed them. They were covered in bruises. Paige tried to pull away but he held onto her with gentle touch. She was starting to cry and Walter wiped the tears away with his thumb.

"Paige, what happened?"

She sniffled and waited a moment before speaking. "It's nothing I'm just a klutz." She tried to smile to try and convince Walter, but he wasn't buying it. He just continued to look at her waiting for a further response. She sighed.

"Drew isn't the nicest when he has had a few to drink. I just don't want him to hurt Ralph, so I succumb to his will."

Walter stood in horror. He wished she would have told him sooner. He wanted Drew to feel her pain that he inflicted. A wave of hatred washed over him. He took her arms again once more and took his time kissing each of the bruises. Paige melted in his touch. He grabbed his keys and stormed out the door slamming it behind him.

"Walter! Where are you going? Stop!"

He kept going.


	6. Chapter 6

Small disclaimer I probably should have added before: this story does have a darker premise so if you are uncomfortable with it I'm sorry, but if you are ok with it then enjoy. Please tell me what you think.

**Chapter 6**

Walter realized when he got in the car that he shouldn't have left Paige alone like that. She needed him right now, but when his EQ got the best of him it wasn't forgiving. He was already speeding down the street at 60mph and couldn't think of turning around now. He had called Sylvester and asked him to track down Drew's phone. His stomach turned when the address came up. 6793 Fellowbrook Drive. It was Paige's home.

He didn't really have a plan. What was he suppose to do? Go inside and beat the guy senseless? Yep. That seemed good enough.

Paige was in a panic when Walter left. It was obvious where he was going, and even though she didn't tell him where Drew was she knew he would quickly find out. She couldn't have Walter risking his well being for her. This was her mess and she didn't want him to get hurt. She needed to fix it. She quickly got up and shouted out to Ralph that she would be out for a bit but not to worry. She grabbed her jacket and headed out for the car. Her pancakes went cold.

Normally Paige would play music in the car. It could be a five minute drive to the grocery store and she would still insist on the radio being turned on to its maximum volume. She thought back to a time when she and Walter went together to pick up Ralph.

_"__Hey do you want to come with me to pick up Ralph? I know he'll be anxious to tell you about the science fair." Walter stopped what he was working on and followed her; he insisted on driving. He had not even buckled his seat belt before Paige turned the key to put on the radio. "Don't you love this song?" she turned to Walter. He never really listened to music, but the look on Paige's face made her look like a kid in a candy store. It made him smile. He only nodded so that he wouldn't disappoint her. She turned to face the window; it was a lovely day. Walter thought she said something to him, but then he realized she was quietly singing along to it. It was soft and beautiful and from that moment on he had a favorite song._

She arrived at her house and saw that Walter had figured it out. She couldn't imagine what was going on inside.

Walter had gone along with his plan of assault. He was trying to think of a punishment worse enough for what Drew had done. He had barged in the door and found Drew eating breakfast as though nothing happened. He threw him off of his chair and delivered blow after blow to his face. Drew was much more built and with his baseball experience was able to give a much worse hit. Walter stumbled backward but Drew caught him in time to kick him at the knees so he knelt before him. Before Walter could do anything, Drew pulled a gun out from underneath the sink. Walter could only wonder at why he had one stored away.

"You should've thought your plan through more carefully," Drew taunted, "I thought you were supposed to be a genius."

Walter held his hands up not knowing what else to do. He looked around for something to be used for a weapon. He saw a knife, but before he could reach for it he heard the door open. Paige ran in.

"Drew stop it don't hurt him!"

"Why, so that you can be with him?" he spat at her.

"I will stay with you, I promise. Just let Walter leave. Let me make it up to you."

Walter's eyes widened. He wouldn't let her do that. He already left her once when she needed him.

An evil smile crept across Drew's face. "Alright," he said. He turned his attention toward Walter, "Leave, and don't bother trying to find us."

Walter felt helpless. Nobody knew that they were there. He looked over at Paige. There were tears in her eyes and he felt like his world was ending as he watched her mouth to him "go."

He knew that the only way to help Paige would be to leave and get the rest of the team's help. He couldn't do this on his own. He slowly walked out and got into his car; Drew watched him the whole time. He sped away and ignored all laws as he made his way to the garage.

Paige was panicking. Without Walter how on earth was this going to end? As soon as she saw Walter's car pull out of the drive way Drew came back to her and told her to come with him. "We are going to take a little trip down memory lane."

She knew right away where they were going when he took a right off of Main Street. He put her in the back seat so she discreetly pulled out her phone and texted "183 days" to Walter. That was all she was able to write before the battery died. She silently cursed to herself and hoped Walter would understand.

They pulled up to a park bench minutes later; it was a small private park and so it was strategic since no one was there. Drew pulled her over to the bench and asked her, "Do you remember this spot? It's where I met with you when I came back." She only nodded; she remembered the day vividly.

Walter had gotten to the garage when he heard his phone buzz. He couldn't have pulled it out of his pocket any quicker. He was relieved to see Paige's caller ID show up.

"183 days."

He rushed in the doors and called for the team to follow him. "Paige needs us; Drew has her. I know exactly where they are."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The team rushed to the car and Happy hopped in to drive. "Where exactly am I going Walt?"

"The park at the corner of Main and Avenue." Walter's knee was bouncing up and down and his hands were fidgeting. He was trying to preoccupy his mind from all the horrible scenarios going through his head on replay. One question always came back to him: would Paige be alive when they got there?

Toby noticed his friend's distress and grabbed him to stop the involuntary movement. "Hey, she is going to be just fine."

"How do you know that? How could you possibly know that? We aren't there. I can possibly calculate what could happen." Walter snapped at him in frustration. He felt like his world was crashing in around him. Paige didn't deserve this and he would give anything to change positions with her.

"I know because she has us looking for her;" Toby paused, "she has you looking for her."

Walter didn't have the chance to respond as they pulled into the park entrance. Evening was approaching so it was imperative that they found her quickly. He was the first to jump out of the car and ran to the bench where he knew Paige would be. The team stayed close, but they hid so that they would have an advantage.

He wasn't as subtle as he had hoped so he arrived to see Drew holding Paige at gun point. He stopped dead in his tracks and couldn't seem to find where his team was. "Drew, let her go."

Drew threw his head up in the air and laughed. "Didn't I tell you not to try and find me? You're interrupting my time with Paige. It would be a shame to have me ruin her dress." Walter heard the gun click and knew that it was fully loaded. Paige gasped and pleaded for him to stop.

"Paige isn't yours. Paige doesn't belong to anyone, and if you were a decent human being you would be able to see that. You don't deserve her; now let her go before you do something that you regret." Walter was seething with anger and it took all of his strength to say that calmly. He didn't want to upset Drew too much.

Drew had started to wave his gun around aimlessly. "You know, I actually had a chance to get along with Paige and our son, but you ruined that." He changed his aim toward Walter and threw Paige to the ground. "Maybe this will change things."

Paige shouted no through her tears, and Walter closed his eyes. He didn't want that to be the last thing he saw.

A gun shot went off and Walter sucked in a breath of air.

He opened his eyes to see Drew on the ground holding his leg and screaming in pain. Cabe was running up from behind him and held him down while he cuffed him.

"Nice shot Cabe. You have better aim than when Drew tries to pitch" added Toby. Happy hit him in his side; no one was in the mood for jokes. Cabe stood Drew up and started to walk him to the car. Before he left Drew stopped and turned toward Paige, "I'll see you again some time." Walter glared at him, "I don't think so."

Walter let his shoulders fall from their tense position. Paige ran to him and was welcomed in his arms. She was sobbing and clutched to him never wanting to let go. He held her close and buried his face into her hair. He wanted to analyze everything so that he would never forget this moment. Paige was safe in his arms and he finally felt like he could breathe again.

"You came for me," Paige repeated again and again.

"I will always come for you," Walter assured her.

"I'm glad you figured out where to find me."

"I would never forget where I asked you to join Scorpion." He stopped and wondered if he should continue his thought. "183 days ago was the day that my life changed."

The team gave them their privacy. They stood their holding each other until Paige spoke up, "I should go see how Ralph is doing. I don't want him to be scared; is he alone at the garage?"

"No, Cabe called Hetty on our way here. He is safe, and now so are you."

They walked back to the car and climbed in the back; the ride back was absolutely silent. Nobody knew what to say about that hectic day.

When they got to the garage Paige rushed inside. She found Ralph inside doing his homework and she ran to hug him. The rest followed slowly and Hetty approached them. "He's a great boy." She turned to face Walter, "I'm glad to see she is safe. Don't lose her." Cabe thanked her for the favor and she nodded and quietly closed the door on her way out. Walter looked over at Paige and smiled to himself. It reminded him of their night of star gazing and he pictured himself with them. The thought of being closer with Paige didn't scare him anymore.

Walter approached them, "Hey buddy, why don't you get ready for bed and you can stay here for the night." Ralph had a wide grin on his face and ran upstairs while Paige yelled for him to be careful. "I can't ask you to do that Walter."

"I insist. I'm not going to leave you again."

Paige gave a weak smile; it had been a long day and everyone was exhausted. "Well I guess we will be using your sleepover invitation sooner than expected."

Walter was about to head upstairs until he felt Paige grab his hand. "Wait, I should tell you what happened. If I don't do it now I don't know if I'll ever be able to." She led him to the couch and she let out a deep sigh. "Paige, you don't have to." She held her finger up to indicate that she just needed a second, and then she began.

"As you know, Drew came back about six months ago, and it was fine at first. He was cordial and really seemed to want to make some sort of relationship work with Ralph, but one night he came over and things went in a different direction. It was late, almost midnight."

Paige paused for a moment to see Walter's reaction. His fists were balled but she could tell that he was trying to hide it and be supportive. She continued, "I could tell he was drunk. He had the same habit when we were married: got in a mood and wouldn't stop. I didn't think it was right for me to let him drive himself home so I invited him inside so he could sleep it off on the couch and then leave by morning. I would have driven him home myself but I didn't want to wake Ralph. I was bringing him blankets when he began to tell me about how lonely he was and he pulled me down to him. His kiss tasted like whiskey. I pushed him off and told him to go to sleep, but he wouldn't budge. He told me that no one would ever want me, so I should just give into him. At that point I told him to leave; drunk driving or not I didn't care. But you and I both know it is hard to win an argument with Drew. I was forced to do things that night that I rather not discuss with you, but it wasn't just that night. He came back again the next week, and soon his sexual advances became more frequent. I would change everything if I could go back."

Walter took her hand, "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was breaking and he shed his first tears in years.

"I wanted to tell someone. Anyone. Desperately. I was afraid though. I didn't know what he would do to Ralph or the people that would try and help me. I wasn't willing to risk you. And I can't compete with you guys on an intellectual level. What good would I be if I was weak too?"

Walter was shocked by her last statement. He didn't know that she felt that way; he always saw her as the most valuable to the team. "Hey, look at me." He gently lifted her chin so her eyes met his. "You couldn't do anything to change my mind about you. You complete us, and I only state facts."

Paige embraced him and he could feel her smile against his neck. He led her up to his bedroom so that she could relax. He lent her a pair of flannel pants and a gray t-shirt. She went to the bathroom to put it on. It was warm as though it had just been worn; it smelt like Walter's cologne. She inhaled deeply and hugged the fabric. She looked up to the mirror and touched the glass with her fingers. "I look hideous" she silently told herself as she counted every bruise and cut. She quickly looked away and went back out to Walter.

He could barely keep his eyes off of her. He thought she was beautiful.

He refocused his mind and said, "Um you can sleep in here. Ralph is in the guest bedroom and I'll go sleep on the couch. If you need anything, don't hesitate."

"Thank you Walter, for everything."

"You're welcome."

He turned out the light and went downstairs. He stayed awake writing a report on the most recent case; he figured Paige could use a break. It wasn't half an hour later that he heard a scream come from his bedroom. He darted upstairs. He threw open the door and found Paige completely frazzled and hyperventilating. The dream replayed in her head.

"Tell me you love me," Drew slurred.

Paige would have rather died. "I love you Drew." She looked down and wiped away the tears that fell; crying only made him more upset.

He smirked, "If you love me then go get me another beer." He threw his empty bottle across the room and it shattered against the wall making Paige jump.

She walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. The shelves were filled with alcohol. She grabbed one and walked back to the drunk man in her living room.

She shook her head wanting to erase the horrible nightmare. "I'm sorry Walter. I didn't mean to wake you I just had a bad dream."

"You didn't don't worry." He wasn't exactly sure what he should do to comfort her and it was killing him. He was about to turn to leave again when he heard Paige whisper his name.

"Yes?"

"Can you stay with me?" She looked at him with pleading eyes. He walked over and climbed into bed next to her. He put his arm around her and let her get closer. He held her close as though it was his only opportunity. He felt her heart beat slow down as she rested her head on his chest.

He hummed softly for her and then quietly sang the lyrics to his favorite song, "Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you."

She fell asleep in his arms and it only took minutes for Walter to drift off into a happy, well deserved sleep.

**What do you guys think? This was personally my favorite chapter to write. I have ideas of where this is going, but tell me where you think/want this story to go. Hope you enjoyed. Be on the look out for some new stories I hope to post soon!.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Paige woke up around 8 the next day. She had slept in, but it was well worth it. For the first time in months she had felt safe. She was in Walter's arms and didn't want to move. She looked up to him softly snoring and felt the temptation to kiss him. She resisted because as close as Walter was to her these past few days, she assumed it was just out of kindness. She waited there contently for another half an hour before she felt Walter begin to stretch and greeted her with a "good morning."

She felt a wave of disappointment when Walter untangled himself from her and went to the bathroom to get changed. She sighed heavily into the pillow and told herself that the happy moment was over and she had to get up now.

She couldn't help but peak through the crack in the bathroom door to see Walter shirtless.

She got changed herself and went to the next room over to check on Ralph. He was already up working on something; it looked like a report. Paige walked over and put her hand on her son's shoulder and kissed him on the top of the head.

"Good morning, what are you working on sweetie?"

"I'm trying to figure something out, but I have never really seen anything like it. I recorded my observations."

"Maybe I can help?"

Ralph flipped over his notes and showed her; Paige let out a small gasp as she slowly read it.

_It was around 1 am last night and I was walking to Walter's bedroom where my mom was. I had heard a noise and was curious as to what it was; I knew that I shouldn't have been up but I went anyways. I saw Walter with my mom and they were sleeping, but it's not the fact that they were together; it was how peaceful they looked. I'm not great with facial expressions, but my final conclusion is that mom was happy for the first time in a long while. The last time she smiled like that was when we first joined Scorpion._

Paige believed him when he said how peaceful she looked. It was true; Walter made her happy.

"You are one observant genius Ralph. Now how about you head downstairs and I'll make us breakfast."

Ralph turned to leave, but then stopped.

"Mom?"

She looked up and gave him her attention.

"Were my observations accurate?"

Paige hesitated at first; she didn't know how to respond. What would Ralph think of her feelings? She decided that honesty was the best route.

"You couldn't be more correct."

The boy ran away eager for pancakes and she took a page from his notes, folded it carefully, and put it in her back pocket.

Walter was already there talking with Ralph and Paige took a moment to observe their interaction. He was perfect with Ralph, and she couldn't have been more grateful. If only she knew what was going through his head.

She was just about to take out a pan for cooking as Cabe walked in with a camera man behind him.

"I know this is last minute, but I was thinking it would be helpful to get the word around about Scorpion; let people know what we are all about. If you are not up for it he can come back later."

Both Cabe and Walter looked at Paige to see her reaction and if she approved. Walter worried that this would be too much pressure on her after such a traumatic experience. What questions would they ask her? Would they trigger a memory?

Paige waved away Walter's obvious worries and said, "Of course, let me just finish making breakfast."

"Take your time" Walter told her. He watched over her with protective eyes.

And she did. She almost seemed to be stalling. She even took time to wash and dry the dishes. The camera man tapped his foot and was constantly glancing at his watch. Walter sent him a glare. He walked up to Paige and lightly put his hand on the small of her back just as he did when they were dancing undercover. This was the only thing he could think of to calm her.

"Paige, you don't have to answer anything. You don't even have to stay. Let me take care of this." He almost seemed to be pleading.

Paige's head was down facing the sink in concentration. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before lifting her head and optimistically replied, "No I want to; besides, what harm could one interview be?"

He didn't argue with her any further and walked over to the couch to get set up. Paige rolled down her sleeves to cover the existing wounds; that was the last thing she wanted on national television. She tried not to scuff her feet as she took a seat next to Walter.

"Alright let's get things started," said the camera man, "my name is Mike and we will be doing a brief interview; about five minutes."

Five minutes, Paige thought, I can get through five minutes. She could barely convince herself. She was surprised to feel Walter squeeze her hand in support. It helped, but then he returned his hand to his side as Mike hit the record button.

"Hello and welcome to the Channel 10 News. I'm Mike Vincent and today we are going to have a little inside peak with the government assisting team, Scorpion. Here with me today I have Walter O'Brien and Paige Dineen. Tell me Walter, what is Scorpion all about?"

"Well I formed Scorpion with Paige, Toby, Sylvester, and Happy. We take on government issues and solve them with our expertise in our particular fields. I can definitely say that this is no ordinary group."

Paige began to sweat. Walter was calm and collected and she was a wreck. I will probably mispronounce my own name with my luck, she thought. She felt Walter nudge her.

"Paige?"

"What?"

"Do you need me to repeat the question?"

"Oh um yes, I'm sorry."

"That's quite alright. Now, what do you personally bring to the team?"

Paige had an answer ready in her head: nothing. I bring nothing to them. I am weak and can barely sit through an interview.

She deviated from this response and replied, "I act as the liaison for the team and take care of case reports." She was wearing the smile she had been practicing.

Walter interjected, "She is a very valuable asset to the team. We couldn't do it without her."

The reporter moved to the next question. "Paige, what do you think has been the most challenging part of this job? I mean, you are bound to find trouble when you are working for the government."

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Walter sensed that this was crossing a line and stepped in for her, "Well you are right that this is no easy job, but we handle things just fine and overcome the obstacles together. Thank you, but I don't think we will be answering further questions today."

Mike got up and rolled his eyes; he was frustrated by the amount of time it took to get such little information.

Walter paid no attention to him and reached his hand to the side where he expected to find Paige's hand.

But she was already up and walking out of the room. Her arms were crossed and she had a blank expression; her eyes were almost empty.

**I realize this is getting dark but I feel like this is where the best emotion comes across. Don't worry I have things in store. Tell me what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Paige didn't realize that she had gotten up in the middle of the interview. Her mind told her to just focus on Walter and get through it, but her feet had a different plan. She was making her way up to Walter's room.

Walter scolded himself quietly; Paige should not have had to do that interview. It was his fault, he should have insisted for her to take a break. Slow down. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind, but it can't be good. No one is just fine after months of abuse. No one is fine after having to keep such a secret to themselves for a long time. He ignored the camera man's protest and followed Paige up to his room. What was she doing up there?

His footsteps creaked up the wooden stairs; he cringed with each noise not wanting to startle her. He opened his door to find an expressionless Paige sitting on the edge of his bed. The lack of life in her eyes worried him; Paige was usually gleaming. The thought of Drew depriving her of her joy angered him, but he redirected his attention to the woman he realized he cared about most.

"Paige?"

Silence.

"I'm sorry you had to do that. It was idiotic of me; I should have stepped in sooner."

She was still unresponsive.

He was grasping at straws. "Please," he whispered softly, "talk to me."

Paige suddenly snapped her head toward him, almost shaking her own mind out of a trance. Her eyes were bloodshot and tired but she still replied with perk, "Don't apologize Walter; I just needed some space. I am fine, really."

He was skeptical, and she could tell so she added, "I think I am just a little tired from everything, could I use your shower? Maybe that will wake me up more."

He still was dubious but he didn't think it was right to refuse Paige's wish. He was willing to do anything to make her more comfortable. He moved out of her way, handed her a couple of towels, and shut the door on his way out.

"Just um, call if you need anything."

He impatiently waited at his desk fumbling with his thumbs.

Paige slowly turned so her back was against the door and slid to the ground. With a heavy sigh she though, "I just need you."

She sat there with her thoughts, oh how dangerous her thoughts were. They were screaming in her ears and resonated in her mind. She rose after what seemed ages, and the first sight she saw was herself in the mirror. She mimicked a look of disgust. She let the shoulder of her shirt droop down and exposed her bony shoulder still covered with evident bruises. She looked away with tears in her eyes and quickly pushed the shirt back up. She shook her head and wondered, "Will they ever fade away?"

She wasn't referring to the marks on her body.

She stepped into the shower fully clothed – she wasn't ready to reveal her entire self. There was no shampoo or conditioner that she bothered with. She simply sat down with her back to the faucet and turned it on. It was frigid cold just like how she felt on the inside; she figured she might as well match. She closed her eyes and let the water engulf her as she wept and pleaded for the voices to stop.

They tortured her:

"You could have done something."

"It is your entire fault."

"Look how hideous you are."

She felt bad for lying to Walter, and that just added to the list of hatred.

Walter grew concerned after he looked at his watch and realized that Paige had been in the bathroom for over half an hour. He was anxious and each second that passed felt like a boulder on his chest. He figured he would just go in and ask if she was alright.

The room was filled with so much steam when he walked in that the mirror wasn't visible. Paige didn't even flinch when the door opened. He cautiously asked, "Paige is everything ok in here? It is almost one."

He counted to ten before calling her name again. He counted again. Still nothing. He desperately wanted to know if she was ok. He never dealt well with not knowing something, or being unable to solve a problem. He thought he heard her mumble something and listened closer.

She was sobbing.

His heart ached with frustration and something else he couldn't determine. He looked down and he saw a clear floor; only her socks were there.

He sighed and opened the curtains to expose Paige in a state he wished he had never seen. She was curled in a ball, her arms clutching her legs close to her body. She didn't look up at him, in fact she look away as though she was ashamed. Walter immediately felt her pain, but he didn't look at her with pity, he looked at her with love and a goal to make her feel beautiful again.

He wasn't exactly sure what to do at first, but then he thought about what Paige would do in this situation. She would stay with that person until they felt whole again.

He stepped over the edge and into the shower in front of Paige. He was immediately soaked but he didn't pay any mind to it. For once he could focus his mind on one thing, her.

Paige finally looked up at him and asked him something he wasn't expecting.

"Why are you helping me?"

He didn't need to think about his answer. "Because I care about you."

With that he took her by the hands and lifted her up so she was facing him. He reached around her to reach the handle and made the water a nice warm temperature. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. All she had been looking for was warmth. He held her hand and stood with her for as long as she needed. He wasn't going to leave her, not in this condition.

After the warm water had run out he turn the faucet off. Paige didn't step out; instead she turned to Walter and let herself cry into his shoulder.

"I can't move" she said shaking.

He gently lifted Paige into his arms and carried her out of the shower; her face was still buried in his chest.

He took the nearest towel and started to dry her off before moving to himself. He didn't know what to expect from her. He finished and waited for a moment. He turned to leave but felt Paige suddenly grab his hand. She was still facing forward and gave it a slight squeeze. She let go and walked pass Walter down the stairs.

Walter was still standing in the bathroom with the damp towels and unanswered questions.

**What do you guys think? Sorry it has been a bit I have been really busy with school and such. Hope you like it!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It had been a week since Walter found Paige in her catatonic state in the shower. Things seemed to be getting better with Paige; she was slowly transitioning back into regular life. Walter thought she was getting better, and that maybe today would be the day he could see her smile again.

But Paige had different thoughts. Things were nowhere near ok. She didn't feel she deserved to show that.

Still, she was grateful. Walter was trying to help her through things, and it made her feel better to reread Ralph's previous notes about them. She kept it in her back pocket every day. When she felt things were getting too overwhelming, or she felt lonely, she simply felt for the piece of paper and when she was reminded that it was still there she could let of a breath of relief.

She couldn't lie that seeing Ralph progressing made her joyful and hopeful that things were going in the right direction. Yesterday after picking her son and Henry up from school (they have decided to car pool) he asked her if Henry could come over tonight for a sleepover. For once she was beaming with delight and quickly said yes. She followed with questions about where they wanted to sleep, or what they wanted for dinner, but was ignored as Ralph and Henry were engrossed in their newest video game. She was determined to give Ralph a wonderful time; she never wanted him to feel like she does.

After dropping Ralph off at school early to work on a project she went to the store to pick up a few things for later. Walter greeted her as she got back and was putting things away in the fridge.

"Act pleasant," Paige told herself.

"Hello Walter, how are you?" She sounded practically robotic and decided to give him a half smile to be more convincing. All she wanted in that moment was to hold him.

Her response surprised Walter, but he was ecstatic.

He didn't realize he was staring at her; he couldn't manage to pull his eyes away for a second. Paige snapped her fingers in front of him and said, "What is my genius thinking about?"

Walter couldn't overlook her referencing him as _her_ genius.

He liked it.

And she scolded herself.

"I was wondering if you and the boys, when they come over tonight, wanted to break out the old telescope tonight." Walter was hopeful that she would say yes, but he tried to tell himself that he shouldn't expect much. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

Memories of their first night star gazing flashed through Paige's mind and she unknowingly smiled at the thought.

"I think the boys would love that, but I don't want to ruin their fun; you know I don't know much about astronomy."

She turned away from his gaze and started to do the dishes from the night before.

"I remember someone once saying 'be determined to have a good time and you will.' What happened to her? I'm sure Henry doesn't know as much as Ralph about astronomy but he will still be there." He swallowed the lump in his throat and said, "I want you to be there."

Paige was mindlessly scrubbing plates, but froze at Walter's last statement. Why did he want her there? Why would anyone possibly want her? She dropped the plate and it shattered as it hit the ground. She was frazzled and quickly got on her hands and knees and started picking up the shards of ceramic. She didn't even realize she cut her hand on the sharp edges until Walter kneeled down next to her and softly called to her.

"Paige."

She didn't look up; a tear fell.

"Paige, it's ok. Look at me." He lifted her chin to look at her.

"It is ok."

She fell back to sit completely on the ground and Walter scooted over to her and took her hand to examine it. Her head was leaned back against the cabinet with her eyes closed. His fingers were light and gentle; something she still wasn't used to.

"It doesn't seem to be too bad. Let me go get the first aid kit."

Paige looked down at the sight of her own blood and just stared.

It didn't take long for Walter to return with some sterilizer and bandages. He took her hand again and wiped away the blood before wrapping it up.

He looked up at her and said, "See, didn't I tell you it was going to be ok?"

"Thank you" she mumbled before going back to cleaning up her mess; Walter stopped her. "Maybe I should clean this up, unless you want me to call Toby because you'll end up cutting up something else."

He gave a slight chuckle hoping to amuse her, but she only nodded and got up to continue washing the dishes.

Walter gathered the fractured pieces and threw them away. He didn't know what else to say to her, but he didn't want to go, so he took a seat at the table just to be in her company.

Minutes passed with the only noise being the running water until Paige finished.

"I will be there."

And then she walked away.

Henry's mom had dropped the boys off at the garage and after she and Paige exchanged pleasantries the boys ran off to go play video games. Paige was only able to get their attention when the aroma of pizza filled the room. It was just the four of them at the table: Walter and Paige seated next to each other and the two young boys on either sides. Toby, Happy, and Sly were at the work bench and watched from a distance.

"They look like a family." Sylvester said as his heart warmed.

"You softy." Happy rolled her eyes and went back to work on her latest project.

"Sylvester is right Happy," Toby interjected, "and I don't think the even realize it."

The boys were talking about their day at school, and how Ralph had asked his teacher if he could correct his math. Paige shook her head in only slight disapproval as she looked at Walter; she knew how he influenced Ralph. She took another bite of pizza.

Walter glanced back at her, "Oh hold on you have a little something there." He gestured toward her nose and she tried to wipe it off, but she only made a bigger smudge.

Walter gave a light low laugh and took his napkin. "Here let me." Neither of them thought much of his action until he finished and they found themselves gazing at each other.

"Mom?"

Paige snapped out of it.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can you pass me another napkin?"

They finished dinner and Walter excitedly asked them if they wanted to head up to the roof. The boys ran ahead of him and Paige slowly rose from her chair. She felt herself relaxing for the first time in a while.

They opened the door to the roof when Walter bent down to pick up a piece of paper.

"What's this?"

*That's it for this chapter! Tell me what you think, I always appreciate it.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"What's this?"

Paige froze in her tracks. She heard the piece of paper crumple in Walter's hands and panicked as she franticly searched her back pocket. She pulled out an empty hand and then checked the other side and then her front pockets as a last resort. She spun around. Walter was unfolding her treasured memory.

She didn't know what to do so she tried to snatch it out of his hand. He pulled away before she could reach him.

"That's nothing. Must be a receipt or something I forgot about." She held out an expecting hand.

Walter went through a quick debate in his head. Why was Paige acting so protective over a potential receipt? Besides, it was lined paper so it couldn't be a receipt. He only unfolded a bit of it to reveal handwriting he thought he recognized as Ralph's. He wanted to know what it read; the curiosity was eating away at him, but he decided it was best that he not invade Paige's personal belongings. After all, he wanted her to trust him.

He reluctantly handed the note back to Paige.

He analyzed every single one of her movements as she smoothed out the corners of it, refolded it again, and slid it into her back pocket. He knew she was getting uncomfortable so he suggested that they go check on the kids. She seemed relieved that he changed the subject.

He led her over to the eager boys who were trying to determine who could find the most constellations the fastest. Walter took his time and found dozens of them, teaching the boys as he went. Paige watched him with admiration; how she wished she could provide that for Ralph. Walter waved her over.

"Do you want to see?"

"Sure." Paige shrugged not confident that she would be able to find any. Still, she found herself squinting into the telescope trying to follow Walter's instructions.

"And if you look there, that's Orion's belt." He pointed up; he didn't even need the telescope.

All she saw were randomly placed circles of light. She was growing frustrated. He made everything he did look so effortless.

"I don't see it. Why can't I do it?"

"You're doing fine, it just takes time." Walter could see her getting restless and decided to suggest another tactic.

"Here, how about we try this." Even though it wasn't necessary, he took her hand in his. It strangely felt right and her warmth sent a shock down his spine. Paige intertwined her fingers with his. He pulled her over to the middle of the roof and sat down.

Paige gave him a perplexed look and laughed. She loved his oddities; mostly she loved how he didn't know they were oddities. "Now what on earth are you doing?"

Walter patted the space next to him as he laid back onto the cold damp surface. He was still warm from her touch. Paige didn't question him and joined him. She didn't realize that she had inched closer to him so that their hands were nearly touching. Her heart began to race at their proximity.

"This gives you a wider view. Imagine that the sky is your canvas, and you are the artist. _You_ get to decide the constellations. _You_ get to connect the dots and come up with your own answer. There is no wrong one." He gestured his hands across the dark sky, introducing her to a clean slate.

Paige was intrigued by his idea and also surprised. He never saw the importance in art. He never observed the museum when they were on the case; he always seemed preoccupied. She looked up to the sky and started to analyze her painting.

"Why the change in heart about art?" she asked him.

"I figured since it is important to you, it would be a better way to look at it. It is your own language, just as math and science is for me. I can tell because every time you look at an artist's work, or I mention anything about it, your eyes light up. I guess I just like seeing that."

Sometimes he would pronounce her favorite artist's name wrong on purpose just so she would correct him. He loved seeing her so passionate about something.

He hesitated, not knowing how she would react, and then reached for her hand again. It _was_ a necessity to him.

Paige was trying to keep up with what she was hearing. What is Walter implying? Are his feelings mutual with hers? Was this relationship more than just professional?

She turned her head to find Walter already looking at her.

It was then that she knew.

In that look she finally realized that Walter looked passed all of her flaws; maybe he didn't even realize that they were there. In that look she knew that he truly did care about her, and she was a fool for not realizing it earlier.

She broke the silence. "I finished my canvas."

"What does it look like?"

"Look for yourself. It is exactly as it seems. Something so beautiful shouldn't be altered."

Paige was gazing at the sky as she spoke, but Walter was looking at her.

"I completely agree."

They laid there peacefully for a while. There remained a comfortable silence; they enjoyed each other's company. It began to drizzle and while the boys ran inside, they remained. Paige closed her eyes and let the droplets fall upon her face.

"What did the paper say Paige?"

Paige debated for a moment if she should tell Walter, or rather show him. It could ruin everything, but it could also confirm what she had been feeling. She sat up and took out the slip of paper and handed it over to Walter. She wasn't regretful.

He gently unfolded it knowing how important it was to her, and he began to read.

He was right when he assumed that the handwriting was Ralph's. He read the boy's observations and then reread them. He didn't know that his emotions were so obvious, but he couldn't control them. If anyone were to notice them it would be Ralph. He was about to say something when he noticed a little scribble in the bottom half of the paper; but it wasn't in Ralph's handwriting, it was in Paige's:

_I think I might be in love with Walter._

Her words were forever ingrained in his mind. They were etched in his brain.

Her head was bowed and she almost looked ashamed; he didn't understand why.

It was almost as though she read his mind as she said, "I wrote that last part to remind myself that there are things worth more than this world. It was like I was allowing myself to feel again, but I wasn't sure if I should have." She still avoided his eye contact.

Walter pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote something on the paper below Paige's. He set it next to her.

_I know I am in love with Paige._

And as her eyes finished the last word she felt a tear fall from her eye; but for the first time in weeks it was out of happiness. Genuine happiness. She couldn't contain herself and she reached for Walter with urgent lips and placed a searing kiss upon his mouth.

She pulled away embarrassed by how straightforward she had been. "I'm sorry I don't know-"

Her apology was silenced by Walter's hungry kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her closer; she couldn't be close enough. The passion was indescribable; it was as though he was truly finding himself for the first time. Paige slid her tongue past his lips and Walter groaned as her fingers intertwined in his dark curls. He reluctantly pulled away; there was something he needed to say to her.

"I just want you to feel the way I see you."

Paige raised her eyebrows not knowing what he was talking about.

"Beautiful."

And she did; in that moment Walter made her feel beautiful and wanted; something that had been stripped from her when Drew came back into her life and she lost her dignity. Drew didn't deserve her thoughts and effort. Walter did. Walter did because he was here, now, and made her feel loved. She gave him another chaste kiss and then realized it was raining harder; she was holding onto a soggy piece of precious paper.

"No! It's ruined!" She ran under the cover of the door and tried to dry it in vain. Walter got up and followed her.

"It's ok; you don't need it."

"What do you mean? That is a memory, and now it is gone."

"You don't need it because I am going to be here every day to tell you that I love you."

And in that moment, she dropped the paper and let it sink in a nearby puddle.

The paper may have been destroyed, but those beautiful words remained with her.

**I'm sorry I have been really irregular with my updates; weekdays are really busy for me. I'm trying to think about where I want this story to go. Do you guys want me to keep it going? I'm really excited for new material on Monday (no hiatus!) Anyways I hope you enjoyed and tell me what you think**


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